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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Hero 616 Jumbo Review

DISCLAIMER* This pen is a clear copy of another, in no point in this review will I say that is a good thing nor if it should be done. I am simply reviewing this pen as though it was based on no other and letting it's performance define it.

Appearance & Design (1-10) - I bought this pen because I love the looks of a hooded nib, but I was not sure how those feelings would translate to owning one. I can say this pen definitely solidified my love for the hooded nib. The streamlined body coupled with a silver colored cap is a really good looker to me. I also love the "non-flashy" factor this pen has. While there is a place for beautiful flashy pens with massive nibs, being able to whip out the 616 without worrying about someone mentioning something about your pen is a refreshing feeling to me. Score 10/10

Construction & Quality (1-10) - It cost me under 10$ for a three pack of these pens, because of that I did not exactly expect the best construction. The construction on the pen is not bad, but it is not anything to write home about. It has a few annoying things; such as the clip can spin around the cap, the metal rings around the ink window rotate, and a few other things, but there is nothing wrong with the construction. It is just not ideal. Score 6/10Weight & Dimensions (1-10) - This is a pretty standard pen when it comes to size. Capped is around 13.5cm, uncapped 12.5cm, and posted almost 14cm. Weight is a little heavier than I expected, but is a very pleasant weight for me. The dimensions are exactly what I am looking for in a normal sized pen and I have no complaints here. Score 10/10

Nib & Performance (1-10) - Inexpensive Asian pens (well really all Asian pens) are known for being quite fine, and this is no exception. It is the finest nib I own, and yet I enjoy it quite a lot. Being a fine you get feedback, but by means is it scratchy at all. There are no skips or flow issues, but I would suggest using a more lubricated ink in these pens, it just provides for a better writing experience. If you don't mind very fine nibs with some feedback in them then you'll love the Hero, but if not then I would suggest looking elsewhere. Score 8/10

Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) -Trying to be as retro as possible, Hero fitted a vintage aerometric system on here. It is not very good all. The metal push bar just does not create the proper pressure on the sac to fill it with any ink at all so the only way to fill it is to take the metal sleeve off and just squeezing the sac itself. Even then it takes a few expertly placed squeezes to start to see ink. Also, I would love to eyedropper this pen but it has a hole in the barrel for no apparent reason. The Hero definitely does not do well here. Score 4/10

Cost & Value (1-10) - So for 10 dollars you are getting 3 pretty pens with a good nib, decent build quality, and functional (but barely) built in filling system. This pen allows to you get to know the style, and mess around with an expensive pen (such as SBREBrown turning his into a stub with just some scissors and micro mesh) and not care if you mess it up. I really see no reason why not to buy it. Score 10/10

Conclusion (1-10) - This is a fun pen that I think everyone should at least try out. Check out eBay to see if you can find a good deal, and pick one up. They make great EDC's and even better presents to start off a friend into the FP world. I really love mine. Final Score 8/10